Back to school tips Podcast: Recent Episodes
Margareth
**Here are some tips when you’re finding new school clothes:
How to order the right size uniforms to last the year**Knowing the right size school uniform for your child feels like it should be an easy task, but it’s often rife with issues. The right fit helps your child feel comfortable and look smart, and can even save you money in the long run as you’re not investing in clothing that turns out to be ill-fitting and awkward.
Yet selecting the correct size can be a bit of a minefield when different items are sold by age, height, chest, or neck measurement. Your child may well want to wear an ‘age 10’ shirt, but their actual body measurements might require something completely different. Plus, children grow quickly – sometimes seemingly overnight – making it a challenge for you to buy a piece uniform kit that fits them now and shortly.
One easy way for you to ensure you’re choosing the correct school uniform size for your child is by having their body measurements to hand when you visit your school uniform shop or when ordering online.
There are five important measurements you’ll need for any school uniform purchase: waist, chest, leg, height, and collar. All of them are easy to make using our guides. Use a flexible tape measure if you can – if you don’t have one, use a piece of string to take each measurement, lay it flat, and then measure the length with a standard tape measure.
How to help get your kids back into a schedule and routine
- In the week leading up to school: Gently introduce the idea of early rising.
- The night before school: Lay out tomorrow's clothes and pack their backpack with them.
- The morning of school: Use a visual timer to help make the abstract concept of “time” more concrete.
How to get kids back into a routine
Gently introduce the idea of early rising
I like to keep this simple. I might pop into their room a bit earlier than they usually wake up and just open the blinds, then leave their bedroom door open so the sunlight and hustle and bustle of the house wake them up. I go in a little earlier each day until we’ve reached the inevitable day when they have to get up on time.
Go for a morning walk right after breakfast
This idea works two ways. One: It introduces sunlight earlier in the day (letting their bodies know it’s morning!) so they can adjust to that start time for their day. Two: It helps them get out the door early for the upcoming morning walk/bike/commute to school.
Move dinner up (and eat it at the same time every day)
Summer dinners are often a casual affair, eaten wildly varying times depending on the adventure they’ve been on that day. Now’s the time to make them a little more predictable. If you typically eat at 6 p.m. during the school year, try to get reacquainted with regular dinnertime (and therefore an earlier bedtime).
Have a chat about the upcoming schedule change
Nothing is quite as simple and effective as communication. I let my kids know that there are (for example) five periods of sleep until school and that I’m going to help them adjust to this change by waking them up a bit earlier each day, eating dinner earlier, and heading to bed a bit earlier.
The night before school:
Lay out tomorrow’s clothes and pack their backpack with them
When a new schedule is starting, I like to do as much as possible in advance so there are minimal surprises in the morning school starts. Laying out an outfit gives my kids a sense of control over their new routine, and packing their bags can help them feel prepared (even if they don’t need all that stuff on their first day).
Ask what they want in their lunch box
Talk about lunch options for the next day and instead of packing something Pinterest-worthy, stick to foods that are comforting and easy to eat. My kids appreciate some predictability and ease when a new schedule starts, and knowing they’ll have some favorite lunch options helps them with the other big changes (new grade, new class, new routine)!
The morning of school:
Use a visual timer to help make the abstract concept of “time” more concrete
Especially for younger kids who don’t know what “We have five minutes to get out the door!” actually means, they will appreciate seeing time visually represented. Visual timers use contrasting colors to show time elapsing and give kids a sense of how much time they have. I like to use them all morning. I’ll set it for 10 minutes and say “This is how much time you have to get dressed.” Then I’ll set it for 15 minutes and say “This is how much time you have to eat.” Etc. It helps keep my kids on track and saves me from repeating much-maligned phrases like “Hurry up! We don’t have time! Did you brush your teeth yet? Get your shoes on!!!”
Stay positive and send them off with a smile
* Because I find transitions hard and emotional, some of my bigger feelings tend to pop up during changes. I love having my kids home for the summer and I get a wee bit melancholy when it’s time to send them off. I know it’s normal for their emotions to also feel big during transition periods. I use this as an opportunity to acknowledge that things